Project: Iceland Parliament Hotel
Architecture: Paolo Gianfrancesco, THG Arkitektar
Lead Architect, Interior Design: Paolo Gianfrancesco
Project Architect: Freyr Frostaso
Architects: Heiðar Samúelsson, Grímur Víkingur Magnússon
Location: Reykjavik, Iceland
Year: 2024
Photo Credits: Gunnar Sverrisson, Claudio Parada Nunes
What happens when wood, the ultimate living material, meets Nordic beauty? An oasis of relaxation under the banner of design. This sums up the Iceland Parliament Hotel in Reykjavik, where Listone Giordano, a reference brand in the high-end wood flooring sector, is among the protagonists of an absolutely prestigious contract project signed by architect Paolo Gianfrancesco.
It is a destination for discovering the capital of the land of fire. It stands in a complex of as many as seven buildings, both renovated and new, on the doorstep of Iceland’s parliament – Alþingi – in the heart of Reykjavík. One of the flagships of the Curio Collection by Hilton. The integral project, encompassing the new structure as well as the careful restoration and preservation of the existing parts, has made it possible to give back to the city the important heritage of this complex.
The most challenging restoration involved the old Landsímahúsið-the National Telephone House-, which reflects the elegant and classical architectural style of the local Austurvöllur Square.
In perfect harmony with the local culture, the hotel opens to the public through the use of the Telebar and Hjá Jóni restaurant, which welcome guests and locals to take in the view of the capital in what was once the headquarters of Iceland Telecom.
Surrounded by three squares and within walking distance of Reykjavik Cathedral, the Harpa Concert Hall, City Hall and the trendiest harbor area, the 163-room hotel is in a prime location in the city’s most prestigious area. In addition, its proximity to Reykjavik’s Old Port offers spectacular scenes of the Northern Lights in winter and the Midnight Sun during summer.
For meetings and events, the hotel has several rooms, as well as exclusive SPA and charming common areas, such as the lobby. The recently renovated Independence Hall can accommodate up to 200 people, suitable for the most important occasions. Other event spaces include the Ladies School, a perfect setting for for mal and informal events, with a maximum capacity of 100 guests.
Wood surfaces, both wall and floor, are characterized by the trait of Made in Italy design and elegance. The aperiodic geometry of Slide from the Natural Genius Listone Giordano collection plays a starring role in the interior design by architect Paolo Gianfrancesco (while the rational elegance of Foxtrot enriches the interiors of the suites and matches the Classical collection).
In this hotel, design is a constant enrichment of the senses. Wood flooring is also part of it. With Slide Natural Genius parquet flooring, for the first time in the world of flooring, the end user, interior designer or anyone is given the opportunity to decide on the design of their floor. He is involved, made to participate. Participation, indeed, a vibration of this age.” This is the philosophy with which Daniele Lago created Slide, the collection that combines geometry and mathematics to generate horizontal and vertical compositional elements. Real furniture surfaces where the magic of transcendent numbers transforms the rectangular shapes of common planks into rhombuses, giving rise to infinite modular compositions. Who said geometry can’t be fun?
